


Etched

by Art3misiA



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Discord: Dumbledore's Armada, Flash Fiction, Gen, Secrets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-12
Updated: 2020-06-12
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:53:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24689434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Art3misiA/pseuds/Art3misiA
Summary: Pansy Parkinson hides many secrets below the surface.
Comments: 24
Kudos: 13
Collections: Caught In Your Spell Comp - Dumbledore's Armada





	Etched

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Caught in Your Spell Flash comp hosted on the Dumbledore's Armada discord. My prompt was _Aparecium._ My chosen pairing was Pansy and Hermione

Pansy crept quietly along Knockturn Alley, taking care to keep close to the walls and avoid contact with anyone. At this late hour, the dark street was frequented by witches and wizards whose business was less than savoury. Her disillusionment charm afforded additional concealment, but did not make her feel any less exposed.

Reaching the vacant building that marked her destination, she moved down the small passage running alongside until she reached the end. Pansy glanced around to ensure no one else was near before tapping a sharp staccato against the door in front of her.

A panel slid open. The eyes that peered out saw nothing, but knew someone was there. “Password?” the person on the other side rasped.

_“Para bellum,”_ she answered.

The panel snapped shut and the door swung inward just enough for her to squeeze through. It closed behind her and she was able to reveal herself properly as he reset the wards.

“You’re late.”

“I’m sorry. Father was lecturing me again about finding myself a husband, and I couldn’t get away.” Pansy turned to the man who had let her in. He had light brown shoulder length hair, green eyes, an oval face, a square chin, and a prominent nose. “You’re getting good at those glamour spells. Not even your two cronies would recognise their prince.”

Draco’s trademark smirk appeared on the stranger’s lips. It was a cynical one, not at all like the arrogant expressions he had worn when they were children. “I’m not just good, I’m the best. I have to be, my—”

“—your life depends on it, I know. Just as mine depends on the strength of your spells to ensure the message gets through undetected.”

He hated being interrupted. Annoyance crossed his face, before he gestured for her to sit in a large chair in the middle of the otherwise empty space. The only illumination came from the bright light directly above. Beside the chair was an adjustable stool and a small table with several muggle instruments that had been magically modified.

“Where?” she asked.

“On your back.”

Pansy nodded, unbuttoned her dress and gathered it around her waist, then waited while Draco adjusted the chair so the back was flat. She laid on her stomach and made herself comfortable, turning her head and watching as he prepared his work station. A few minutes later, a low buzzing filled her ears, followed by a sting as he began to etch the latest tattoo into her skin.

* * *

  
  


The following evening, Pansy arrived at her next destination. She pulled a Galleon from her pocket and sent a message _._ Moments later, the crack of Apparition alerted her to the arrival of her contact. A wand was thrust into her face and she lifted her own in response. 

“Tell me something only the real Pansy Parkinson would know.”

“I’ve been in a secret relationship with Luna Lovegood for eighteen months. Tell me something only Hermione Granger would know.”

“I accidentally polyjuiced myself into a human-cat hybrid in second year.” Granger lowered her wand. “You weren’t followed?”

Pansy shook her head, a smile playing about her lips as she tucked her own wand away. “That never fails to amuse me. I wish I could have seen it.”

Granger rolled her eyes. “I’m going to side-along you now.”

She felt a familiar pull behind her belly button and a moment later they were standing in the warm kitchen of Number 12, Grimmauld Place. 

“Another message?” Granger asked.

“Yes.” 

“Where?”

Pansy shrugged off her cloak, then began removing her dress for the second time in two days, feeling her healing skin pulling and stretching as she moved. To the naked eye, her skin appeared soft and unblemished, with not so much as a freckle to be seen. To those who knew better, she carried important information. Turning, she presented her back to the curly haired witch.

_“Aparecium.”_

The tingling sensation of the spell washed over her, and Pansy gazed at the exposed skin on her arms, shoulders and torso as previous messages slowly bled into existence. No matter how many times she witnessed it, the magic ink never failed to enchant her. Looking over her shoulder, she asked, “What does it say?”

“It’s the time, date and location of a planned attack on a muggle village,” Granger answered, her voice a mixture of anger and satisfaction. “He’ll have a large contingent with him. This could turn things considerably in our favour.” 

Moments later, Granger’s Patronus was darting out of the room to pass on the intel Draco had conveyed. The other members of the Order would begin arriving soon.

“Do you think you can stop You-Know-Who this time?” Pansy asked as she re-buttoned her dress.

“Stop him? Not yet. But we’ll take down as many of his followers as we can. Tell Malfoy I said thanks.”

“You’ve ruined him with that muggle stuff,” she replied with a huff of amusement. “He wants to become a proper tattoo artist if he survives the war.”

“His penmanship _is_ excellent,” said Granger. “I think he would do well.”

“You should let him ink you sometime,” Pansy teased.

“Maybe,” Granger replied noncommittally. “Tea?”

“Yes, thank you.” 

If anyone had told Pansy a few years ago that she would be working on the side of the light, directly undermining the ideas she was raised to believe and spitting in the face of tradition, she would have laughed. It was ironic - purebloods prided themselves on their secrets. And yet, none of them knew it would lead to their defeat.

**Author's Note:**

> Para Bellum = Latin - "prepare for war"


End file.
